Hey guys, what experience do you have with this rifle? My dad is interested in one and i was wondering what you guys thought about it. He would probably get the .458 Lott chambering.

NH_Hunter

Your dad will be more than happy with his when he gets one. I have several RSM's and on mine, beautiful wood and trigger pulls from 3 1/4# to 3 1/2#. Each can do from 3/4" to 1 1/2" at 100 yds at the bench. Naturally, some take a little longer to find that one or two loads that work providing the rifle has all the bolts properly torqued and if mounting a scope, all scope mounts loctited using the next bigger size screws. Depending on his big bore experience, he may or may not like the recoil of the Lott. You can cheat by adding weight and/or a recoil reducer. By all means stay away from brakes as it'll just make the rifle look ungainly. If anything, get it Magnaported instead as the Lott is not that high pressure a round as a Weatherby round. I hope I've covered everything that you need to know about the RSM's.

He's gonna love that Ruger. The Ruger magnum is rugged as a blasting mat and it is heavy. With a NECG peep sight and four rounds and a sling my .375 H&H weighs exactly eleven pounds. That's two or three pounds more than the Winchester M70, but that extra mass in the Ruger means it's actually pleasant to shoot even with the hot Hornady ammo. Pleasant shooting means accurate shooting -- without a flinch. Don't know how the Lott will be but I'd rather have an 11 pound Lott than a 9 pounder. I'm hauling 11 pounds of Ruger up and down Wolverton Mountain two or three times a day and that just means I'll get into safari shape quicker.

It's a great rifle and a good value. Having said that, I eventually sold off my .416 Rigby RSM because I found it too muzzle heavy for easy handling, and I've heard of others with the same impression. To put this in perspective, I shoot a 12.5" LOP on my rifles due to shorter-than-average arm length, and the RSM was simply too long and had too heavy a barrel for me to hold comfortably.

I agree with slingster. They are great looking guns, but they are way too barrel heavy. I have never owned one, but when I tried them out at the gunshop along with some other brands, it got the nod for looks, not balance. I had the opposite problem as him though, I need a 15" LOP.
Sevens

The BEST CURE for the barrel heavy Ruger is to do what I did. Have a mercury insert installed in the stock. Levels out the weight distribution problem and really helps with the recoil too. Lawdog

Clifton

They say don't go on wolverton mountain if your looking for a wife.

Covey16

NHH,

I am a shooter of the new Ruger in 458 Lott...Got one of the first to become available in USA...Had some finishing work done after shooting 60 hunting rounds from it ...Now fully done it is shooting great put 4 inside of 3 inch bull at 100yds....The 4 shots are on each side of the bull but touching and the left to right was my movement..
Will send a pic to be posted...Also did trigger down to a smooth no creap 2.75lbs. and jeweled bolt, stoned rails, glass bedded, Pachmayr 990 pad, NECG rear express sight and front fiber optic red bead, QD Warne's scope mounts and Leupold 1.5/5 VARi X III..
Very pleased with it and it shoots fine..

Mike

Covey,

The birds and the bees they do recon and surveillance for me up here on Wolverton Mountain.

Sounds like a sweet setup Clifton.
Covey16

The original Rugers ( which I have one of the first batch) are barrel heavy. I spoke with the Ruger Reps at SCI and suggested the barrel be shortened by 1" and a barrel band installed. Turns out I was not the only one. Following models had 23" barrels and a bit trimmer. jorge

I looked at the 375's and 416's thought them a little barrel heavy, but didn't find this to be a problem with the 458 lott RSM that I did buy. Maybe the bigger hole takes away enough weight to make it balance better or it may be with the Lott you appreciate all the weight you can get.
I like the rifle very much but think that it could be improved in the following ways;
1. better recoil pad, the one it comes with is hard as a rock, I'm going to put on a deccellarator.
2. Bigger front bead. The one that it comes with is way to small. As soon as I settle on my final load I'll probably try a NECG who makes them in differing heights.
3. Magazine box is too narrow at the front. The rifle feeds OK, but optimum feeding in a bolt action occurs when the 1st round rests on the 2nd and the 3rd instead of being pinched up at the front like it is in the RSM. You can't use a resized 416 box because the rear of the action is opened too wide for the rigby round and the rigby box doesn't have lips that come up above the bottom of the action. Maybe a recut lott box may work - one with a tapered lip that is high in back and lowered to action height in front.
4. The safety should be higher. When on safe it would be better if it stuck out above the bolt notch.
5. Might install mercury recoil reducer.... the gun does kick.